By: Treva Winlock
Fabulous food, horse racing, bourbon, college basketball, bluegrass music—I was eager to sample it all and in volume as I planned my move back to Louisville in 2012. When I moved away at eighteen, I was strong, lean, and had spent my entire life having frequent access to nutritious food. Therefore once I could drive, my after school “snack” was either McDonald’s or Fazoli’s, followed up with a stop at the Save-A-Step for dessert.
When I moved back to Louisville as an adult almost 15 years later, I was almost a hundred pounds overweight. My husband & I arrived with our senses at the ready to absorb it all! At the same time we were sampling the offerings, we began to notice that when we got home in the evenings and on the weekends our dogs were beginning to act out. We decided to start taking them to Seneca Park for a lap or two after work to expend some of their energy. Our goal was to mellow them out and give them the exercise they clearly needed to prolong the length and quality of their lives. We realized that while they lived like posh little queens, they were descended from wolves and had an instinctual energy in them that was not completely lost in their evolution. Seneca Park suited us because we could park right by the track, have easy access to bathrooms and water, and the people watching was prime. Slowly we began to incorporate Cherokee Park and Bardstown Road so we could see different sites and people.
Walking the dogs became walking to dinner or to get a drink—we even found several places we could combine all three activities! I realized that just like my dogs, my body needed movement for me to feel mentally and physically good. The more that I moved, the easier it became. The more I was aware when I hadn’t moved, and that if I stopped for a few days, it was harder to get started again. We kept on moving and last fall ran our first full marathon. Being active is easier now because I have found some wonderful gems along the way. Over the next six months I’d like to share with you some of the local resources, gear, and technology that have been critical in helping me maintain the motivation to pursue a balanced and healthy lifestyle. If you see me at the next YPAL meeting and have something that you’ve discovered and treasure, please come share it with me!
Health & Wellness Q & A
Favorite Workout: Anything that includes slow, steady exertion rather than short bursts of energy (yoga, running, biking).
Healthy Lifestyle Goal: To nurture my body, taking advantage of every opportunity to improve and preserve my quality of life.
Proudest Fitness Achievement: Developing arm muscles for the first time in my life at 33.
The reason I work out: Getting my heart rate up keenly reminds me of my physical abilities and limitations, reminding me that the consequence is too great to operate it on autopilot.
Favorite way to fight stress: When I run, I focus on myself and no one else. If I’m upset or frustrated I find myself pushing harder, which removes the physical tension than often accompanies those emotions.
Treva Winlock is an HR Consulting Senior Associate with MCM CPAs and Advisors, a Louisville native, and a “Born Again Athlete”. She is passionate about data, dogs, and the Liverpool Football Club. Evenings and weekends (and some painfully early mornings) you can find her pounding the pavement of the city, training for her next marathon with her husband.
About the Series
The YPAL Healthcare Blog Series, sponsored by Norton Healthcare, is part of the new Healthy YP Initiative, which will focus on the health and well-being of our Louisville Young Professionals. This blog series will feature various young professional bloggers in our community sharing their stories on health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and healthy lifestyles.
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